The preparation of chicken kidney cell cultures for virus propagation

Chicken kidney (CK) cell cultures have historically proved useful for the assay of a number of viruses including coronaviruses. A technique for the preparation of such cell cultures, using a combination of manual and trypsin disaggregation of kidneys dissected from 2- to 3-week-old birds is described. This technique routinely gives high cell yield together with high viability and the resultant adherent primary cultures can be used for virus growth and plaque formation.